Firing mechanism of breech-loading guns.



A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUCKHAM. FIRING MECHANISM 0F BREEGH LOADING GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL?, 1910.

Patented June 6,1911.

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A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUCKHAM. HRING MEGHANISM or BREEOH LOADING GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1910.

Patented June 6, 911.

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ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER,

LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS SONS c MAXIM, LIMITED, OF WEST- MINSTER, ENGLAND.

FIRING MECHANISM OF BREECH-LOADING GUNS.

Original application led May 6, 1908, Serial No. 431,098.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 547,751.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR Tiznvoii DAWSON and GEORGE THOMAS BUoxHAM, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at 32 Victoria street, Westminster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firing Mechanism of Breech-Loading Guns; of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to the firing mechanism of breech loading guns of the class wherein the breech screw is opened and closed by means of a hand lever adapted to impart a partial rotation in one direction or the other to a pinion carried by a swinging carrier and arranged to transmit through a suitable connection a corresponding movement to the breech screw and a lateral movement to a slide which normally covers the axial vent of the gun when the breech is closed. In mechanism of this class it is customary to mount the striker or firing pin upon the aforesaid slide, and to utilize the lateral movement thereof simultaneously to retract the striker to its cocked position, this operation being effected by projections on the striker which engage with cam surfaces on the frame in which the slide works when the hand lever is operated to withdraw the slide to uncover the axial vent.

It has been found in practice that when the aforesaid projections and cam surfaces become worn, a suflicient movement of the slide takes place before the commencement of the retraction of the striker to break or materially damage the same in the event of its end being embedded in the head of the primer.

The present invention consists in connecting the aforesaid pinion with the slide and with the striker in such a manner that it causes the latter to be partly retracted before it imparts any movement to the slide, the completion of the retracting movement being effected by the cam surfaces in the manner already described, the connection between the pinion and the slide being so arranged that a comparatively small amount of movement is transmitted to the slide by a comparatively large amount of movement of the pinion, thereby rendering the invention particularly applicable for use in connection with heavy guns in which a large amount of movement of the pinion is required for opening the breech.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an end elevation of a gun breech showing the ordinary mechanism for actuating the same, and mechanism actuated by the sector pinion for retracting the striker. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of part of Fig. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a plan of a gun breech part of which is shown in section. Fig. 4L is a fragmentary sectional plan showing the position of the retracting lever for withdrawing the striker preparatory to the lateral movement of the slide. Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 3 showing the position of the parts when the slide has completed its lateral movement for uncovering the axial vent. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a portion of the swinging carrier partly broken away to show the improved mechanism for diminishing the amount of movement transmitted from the pinion to the above mentioned slide.

The following is a description of an existing type of breech mechanism to which the invention is applied.

A represents the swinging carrier which is hinged at a to one side of the breech end of the gun and supports the breech screw Ax.

A1 is the breech actuating hand lever to which is connected a sector pinion a1 gearing with a similar sector pinion a2 pivoted on the carrier. This pinion is provided with a roller crank pin a3 which engages with a groove a4 formed in a projection extending from a portion of the breech screw, so that a partial rotary motion is imparted to such screw by the pinion a2 when the hand lever is moved in a direction away from the breech with the result that a threaded port-ion of the breech screw is disengaged from `a corresponding threaded portion in the gun, whereupon the breech screw can be opened by continuing the movement of the hand lever in the direction above mentioned. Mounted on the carrier A is a piece of mechanism technically termed a slide box one portion B of which embraces the spindle F of the axial ventand another portion B1 constitutes a slide bed for a slide C. Projecting from the latter is a hollow boss c Fig. 2, on which is mounted a casing G1 and situated within these parts is the striker C1 and spring c2 for actuating the same. The striker is connected to a sleeve 03 which is slidably mounted on the casing 01 and carries projections or rollers c4 adapted to be brought into engagement with projections b1 on the slide bed B1 for retracting and cocking the striker when the slide C is moved laterally toward the right to uncover the axial vent. This movement is effected by a bolt C2 which passes through such slide and forms a pivot for one end of a link E the other end of which is connected to a crank pin e on the sector wheel a2. When the breech is closed, thevslide is moved by the aforesaid bolt C2 and link E to bring the end of the striker C1 into line with the axial vent as shown in Fig. 2. In this view the end of the striker is shown embedded in the head of the primer G and it will be readily understood that if any wear takes place between the roller oJg and the projection b1 o-n the slide bed B1 the slide will move before the commencement of the retraction of the striker and the latter will be damaged or broken. l

According to this invention instead of relying solely upon the projecting surfaces b1 for retracting -the striker, the slide C is connected with the sector pinion a2 in such a manner that during the initial movement of the latter the slide remains motionless and the initial movement of the sector pinion is utilized for actuating mechanism for partly retracting the striker before any movement of the slide takes place,

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 3 to 6, D represents a ret-racting lever pivoted at d to the slide bed B1 in such a manner as to be capable of engaging with a projection 05 on the striker sleeve. The free ends of the lever is arranged to occupy a position adjacent to the end of a rod D1 which is provided at its opposite endwith a projection all for engagement with a .segmental flange e2 formed on the sector pinion a2 to lockthe rod D 1 in its forward position `when required. `The link E is formed with a tooth e1 adapted to engage with a shoulder ZX formed on the rod D1 and during the initial movement of the sector pinion a2 the tooth el moves the rod D1 to retract the striker before the link E imparts any movement nto the slide C. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 the 'pro-jed tion ZX on the rod D1 is dispensed with and the end of such rod is provided with a roller D2 for engagement with a segmental flange c2 formed on the sector pinion a2, the said flange in .this case imparting endwise movement to the rod instead of merely serving as a locking device. The aforesaid link E ris connected at one end to the guide bolt U2 and at the opposite end to a lever El at some point c4 intermediate of its length. One end of this lever is pivoted at e3 to the swing-` ing carrier A the other extremity of such lever being connected to a link E? which is hinged at es to the sector pinion a2. By this arrangement any required reduction in the amplitude of movement that is imparted to the slide C from the sector pinion a2 can be obtained by varying the position of the point at which the link E is connected to the lever El so that the larger amount of movement performed by the sector pinion in heavy guns can be provided for. When the partsare in the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 6, the breech is fully closed and locked; to effect the opening of the breech, the sector pinion a2 is rotated in an anticlockwise directionwhereupon the parts assume the position shown bythe dotted lines. At the initial part of the opening movement, the link E2 turns about its pivotal connection e? with the lever El without however actuating it. This idle movement thus gives time for the segmental flange e2 of the sector pinion a2 to operate the rod D1 and the retracting lever D, before the said sect-or pinion performs sufficient angular movement to operate the slide actuating link E through the pull it exerts on the link E2.

.Figs 1 andv 3, illustrate the normal position of the slide and the striker retracting mechanism when the breech is closed. In Fig. 4 the sector pinion a2 has been partly rotated to advance therod Dl against the retracting lever D which then acts upon an extension 05 on the striker sleeve and partially withdraws the 'striker preparatory to any movement of the slide C. In Fig. 5, sufficient rotary motion has been imparted to the sector pinion a2 to withdraw the slide C to the right so as to uncover'the axial vent. During this movement the striker is raised to its cocked position by the roller 04 traveling up the inclined projection b1 which then retains the striker in its cocked position until the gun is fired. v

j What we claim and Vdesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is if 1. In firing' mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide, the striker, the striker r-etracting lever, the rod for actuating the same, and the sector pinion, of means'for directly actuating the rod of the striker-retracting` lever Lfrom the sector pinion, and a connection between the slide and the sector pinion sol arranged that a large amount of movement of the sector pinion transmits a `comparatively small amount of movement to the slide.

2. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide, the striker, the striker retracting lever, the rod for actuating the same, and the sector pinion, of a segmental iiange on said sector pinion for actuating the rod of the strikerretracting lever, and a connection between the slide and the sector pinion so arranged that a large amount of movement of the sector pinion transmits a comparatively small amount of movement to the slide.

3. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide, the striker, the striker-retracting lever, the rod for actuating the same, and the sector pinion, of a segmental flange on said sector pinion for actuating the rod of the striker retracting lever, and a link and lever connection between the slide and the sector pinion.

4. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide, the striker, the striker retracting lever, the rod for actuating the same and the sector pinion, of a segmental flange on said sector pinion for actuating the rod of the striker retracting lever, a lever pivoted at one end to a fixed point, a link connecting the other end of the lever with the sector pinion and a link connected at one end to the slide and at the other end to some intermediate part of the lever.

5. In firing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the slide, the slide boX having inclined projections thereon, the striker, the striker sleeve, the

striker retracting lever, the rod for actuating the same, and the sector pinion, of a segmental flange on said sector pinion for actuating the rod of the striker retracting lever, a projection on the striker sleeve arto a Xed point, a link connecting the otherV end of the lever with the sector pinion, and a link connected at one end to the slide and at the other end to some intermediate part of the lever.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAVSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM.

Witnesses HENRY KING, C. A. SEARLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

